Here is your weekly update on promotions available right now at the main High Street wine outlets.
I outline one or two typical deals embodied within the latest promotions to give you a flavour of what to expect if those “trailers” encourage you to head across to the retailer’s website for further details and more offers like them.
The “Sunrise/Sunset” colour shading indicates promotions that are new (yellow) or, conversely, ones (in pink) that are about to expire.
Can’t stress this often enough, though, today’s post is designed to provide you with information about what is available even though, unlike my Tops Tips post, I have not sampled all of the wines mentioned.
At Morrisons
As usual, Morrisons has an extensive range of promotions and tailors them to fit the pricing and other polices in different parts of the UK.
Among its contents, are a number of deals on their premium own label wines (“The Best”) along with red wine from the pictured 19 Crimes range which I have found usually offers uncomplicated medium bodied wine with bright dark fruit flavours.
Below is the usual chart that picks out some of the promotion’s features – updated to include a good value pinot grigio – but do note that the Head Honcho deal only applies to Scotland.
At Tesco
Tesco’s current promotion is due to end early next week but, nevertheless, I have updated the “typical content” part to highlight a £1 reduction on a wine in the pretty reliable McGuigan range.
As ever, fuller details are available on the retailer’s website but do remember that the prices shown here are for Clubcard holders only.
At Waitrose
Waitrose probably has the most comprehensive range of promotions on the High Street, which cover an equally wide spectrum of price points.
Some of its deals will now run until 22 March rather than the 15th which was the expiry date I quoted last week.
Nestling among the reductions, you will find South Africa’s Gable & Grace Chenin Pinot Grigio which, when I last tasted it, contained honeyed apricot, pineapple and kiwi fruit influences.
It has been reduced by £2 to £5.99 for the duration of this promotion.
Of necessity, this chart can only pick out a small sample of what is available at Waitrose but the rest of their offers are particularly well documented on this page of their website.
At Sainsbury’s
A new promotion started at Sainsbury’s yesterday with its usual extensive range of price reductions (including a good selection of Taste the Difference options) and is expected to run through to 15 March.
Among the reds with useful £1 discounts are Campo de Borja Garnacha, Elegant Frog Malbec Cabernet and Saint Chinian.
Full details appear on the Sainsbury’s website but “one to watch” among the whites, I suggest is Taste the Difference Albariño which drops from £8.50 to £7.75.
Here, then, is the usual table giving a snapshot of what is on offer.
At the Co-op
Good as so many Co-op wines are, things can be complicated by this retailer’s structure, with (often autonomous) local groupings meaning things can differ from place to place.
It’s especially important, therefore, to check the price in any particular store before advancing to the check-out; the price on the shelf is the definitive one.
Nevertheless, Co-op members can enjoy the Co-op Irresistible South African Sauvignon Blanc Reserva for a mere £4.50 (£5.50 for non-members) during this promotion.
As I have said before, it is rounded yet nicely aromatic and delivers ripe pear, pink grapefruit and melon flavours supported by muted lime acidity and suggestions of green herbs.
At Asda
Asda has just started a promotion that offers up to 25% off on selected wines in its (premium own label) Extra Special range and which is scheduled to run until 23 March.
Among the wines affected are its Gavi and Primitivo (both of which drop from £8 to £6) and a Gran Reserva Rioja (down to £8.63 – from £11.50).
Look out too for Extra Special Pinot Grigio (£4.88 from £6.50) which is perfumed and light with zesty green apple, pear and peach flavours and, crucially, acidity aplenty.
Here is a link to their website.
At M&S
Once again, details of what’s new in M&S take a broad view and highlight what they can offer for a series of events including Fairtrade Fortnight which began at the start of this week.
Outlining what is available is tricky because the M&S website puts its focus on sales of cases of six while individual bottles do appear on the Ocado site but can be at different prices to those applying to M&S physical stores.
This chart does, however, show you what deals can be found where M&S have a “bricks and mortar” presence.
At Lidl
Lidl’s Wine of the Week in English stores is a multi-buy that offers 6 bottles of Pecorino Terre di Chieti (normally £4.99 each) for £20 for three days (4-6 March).
I have previously described that wine as “floral and delicate” with “textured apple and lemon flavours” and “hints of sweetness”.
To meet legal restrictions in Scotland, a different promotion applies there which reduces Lidl’s Australian Chardonnay, Limestone Coast from £5.99 to £4.59 from 3 to 9 March.
Call in once more on Monday when I reveal my latest Top Tips and again on Thursday for an update on the promotions in force then.
